Western cyclone., 1887-06-24
NELLIE'S PRISONER.


. much lower tone, ''this fellow has taken
it," We were sitting in box at Paris
Ian theater.
''But he looks too respectable for thief.
said I.
II am certain Of it," she continued,
''for felt bis hand close to my pocket.
And see how guilty he looks"
The poor accused youth was. it is true,
looking wonderingly at the pretty. flushed
face near him, but failed to detect
guilt in the soft, brown eyes and mild ex-
preston.
MY dear, be queit sure you had your
purse with you before you make such
harsh statement" said Mrs Howell.
"Oh, am quite sure. I remember run
ming back at the last moment and search
Ing well before found it. What could
be more convincingY
"Then, my dear, if there was a sum Of
any consequence In it we will have this
person examined before an officer Of the
police said Mrs. Howell, in decided
tone.
Forthwith dispatched to bring sar-
gent de vile to the fuSSy little old woman
with streaming pink cap-ribbons. who,
for dolceur, shows theater-gOers their
places, tucks q petit-bOne under their
feet, and presideS over their welfare gen
orally.
After few uncomfortable moments,
during which the object of all our interest
complacently watched the progress of an
entreacte, the little woman came back
followed by ciyil-looking man, who
tapped our victim on the shoulder and re-
Quested his presence for a momOnt at the
nearest gendarmcrie.
We followed, Nellie looking nervous
but determined, evidently convinced that
Aer resolution on this occasion would be
rewarded
We crossed the street and entered the
forbidding doors of that terror of gaminS,
the police station, and the now enlightened
young man, after few questions from
the officer, permitted, without the least re-
luctance, an examination of his pockets.
noticed crest on the delicate blue
silk handkerchief and the Russian leather
pocket book which the officer ruthleSSly
drew to light, but no purse was found.
With more than ordinary French polite
ness the accused expressed regret that
mademoiselle had been deranged by the
occurrence, and with only a very mildly
reproachful glance and bow he left the
room.
We also started on our homeward way,
not little mystifed by the affair.
A solution awaited us on entering our
salon, for there lay the purse where, just
for an instant, it had been laid by mad
emOiselle while she gave highly impOr-
tant pat on the little curls around her face
and farewell tilt to her hat.
The next morning an apologize note
that Nellie had written with doWncaSt air
was conveyed to its destination by means
Of the address that the officer had taken
down and the unpleasantnesS was dis
missed from our conversation, it not en-
urely from our minds.
Nearly two years later, at the close of q
long Summer day, we found ourselves in
. little cultivated bit of ground that
seemed to cling to the rugged side of =
Swiss mountain A succession OF scenes
and impressions ever new to a mind at
tuned TO nature had so beguiled us that
before we commenced the descent to our
hotel the deep shadows of night were clos
ing fast about us.
We ran down as quickly as the loosely
scattered stones would permit, drcading a
place midway down the mountain side
where q late torrent had washed trees,
rocks, and earth across our path for many
years.
Nellie suddenly gave sharp cry and
fell, confused mass of dark clothing and
sliding stones, at my feet
Il have Sprained my ankle" she cried,
and before | could reply q manly voice
was heard speaking with slight foreign
accent.
pray allow me to assist you, madame.
was . little in advance OF you," he
added, ''and am glad to be able to offer
you my arm, for the path is really perilouE
1t this hour"
he gently raised Nellic from q heap on
the ground to her own slender, graceful
height.
An attempt to step. however. was SO
painful that he rather carried than assisted
her AT the door Of our hotel the oppor.
tune young man was revealed by the
light 70 be dark-eycd and pleasing of
feature.
The next morning the card of Earnest
Dc la Perriere was handed me. and found
the kindly face Of our cavalier of the
previous night before me- anxious TO know
madame had rested well, and if he. who
was 80 desolate ut the miShap, might be al
lowed 70 shorten her hours of con-
nnemenI Dy sending some new books and
Sewers
What could do but smile on SO pleas.
mt an oner for my young sister and per-
nit any one disposed to be sympathetic 10
make IN occasional visit,
The tedium Of our stay and Nellies slow
recovery was hghtened 10 an extent that
soon alarmed me. for / detected bright.
ness in Nellie's fair face when Monsieur de
4 Perrlerc's step was heard, and soft,
almost caresSing tone in his voice when
saying only the commonplace greetings Of
the day
What was best 10 do? | had not been
wise IN allowing a stranger thus TO ingra-
tate himself in our favor
sat one day worrying my poor, racked
Drain once more in contriving a wav to
diminish the intimacy | now felt to have
been rashly encouraged
Suddenly M. de la Pcrriere stood before
me; begging to be allowed to sit by nv